Blur star to present The Tube's
comeback

The cult TV show moves to
radio

Blur's
Alex James has been
lined up to present the return of 1980s music show
The Tube.

He will be joined by
Factory Records boss
Tony Wilson,
MTV presenter
Emily Rose and
Blue Peter's
Konnie Huq when the
programme makes it comeback after 19 years in a radio format
on November 3.

The monthly show's first
programme, which will go out at 6pm, will include performances
from New Order, Jamie T,
Metrodome & Jordan, Clinic, Camera Obscura,
Eskiimo and
Lee Griffiths, plus
interviews with Paul Weller, REM's
Mike Mills and
John Peel's son
Tom Ravenscroft.

"I'm very excited to be
presenting the new Tube.
I'm looking forward to being part of something unpredictable,"
said James. "This is a
completely new recipe for radio; mix a whole bucket of music
show with a tablespoon of contemporary art, a teaspoon of
rocket science and a pinch of bottom. Stand well back and
listen for an hour."

The programme, which
originally launched in 1982, was seen as an alternative to
Top Of The Pops.

The Tube featured
iconic live performances from the likes of REM, U2 and
Madonna, along with interviews conducted by presenters
Paula Yates and
Jools Holland.

The show was famously forced
off the schedules for three weeks in 1987 when presenter
Holland swore live on
air, before it was finally axed permanently later that year.